


Tainted

by MercySewerPyro



Series: Hope as a Construct [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Gen, Implied Body Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 07:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11203197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercySewerPyro/pseuds/MercySewerPyro
Summary: Hope /həʊp/ noun: something that stains, warps, corrupts, and tarnishes.





	1. Chapter 1

I don't think you're taking this seriously. I don't think you really understand what we're up against! That thing is a _monster_ , it'll-

...Okay. I'll start from the beginning. So that intel Command gave us... It's not right, okay? Whatever that thing is... It's no fucking AI. It's something way, _way_ more dangerous. I don't care if there's a possibility of Freelancer tech there, as long as that thing is there? We're not getting anywhere _near_ it. We shouldn't even bother! I'm the only one _left_ , you know. They didn't escape, that thing-

...Okay, okay, I _get_ it. So, getting there was pretty smooth going. I mean, it's a part of the planet that's long been abandoned, right? Nobody but us cares about it any more. Didn't see a peep of rebels or Feds or anything. Probably should've turned back when we realized things had gone all quiet about half a kilometre to the site. But the guy in charge was a dumbass, and we, well. Guess we weren't all that much smarter for going along with it.

The place looked gutted from the outside, by scavengers and just nature. It looked like it had been on fire at some point? We were all wondering how anything important could still be there. Anyway. The plants near it were... Weird. All warped and stuff. Mutated. Flowers in really weird shapes. But nothing seemed dangerous, no radiation ticking up the Geiger counters, unlike some of the places we've dug around in.

So we went inside, like idiots. It was... _Clean_ inside. Sure, abandoned, but _clean_. Absolutely _spotless_. No dust or anything! Like, despite the fact it looked like a fucking wreck outside and was melted in places, like somebody was regularly cleaning it or something. And all the computers were online! ...Well, the ones that weren't melted to hell and back, that is.

So we finally got suspicious, but did we bug out? Fuck no, we just raised our guns and readied for a fight. Worst mistake of my life, and for everybody else? Last mistake they ever _made_. Because, that thing- It must've been watching us from the cameras. Waiting until we got right into the heart of the base, so we couldn't escape, couldn't _run_ -

What? No, you don't get it. That thing probably _let_ me escape! It could have killed me as easy as snapping a twig, wouldn't have even broken a sweat. You don't know how that thing _killed_ -

No, _you_ shut up! I'll tell you what it was, what it looked like. We get down there to the middle of this place, in the belly of the beast, and it just comes out of fucking _nowhere_! It was _huge_ , filling up the whole hallway it came out of, and gold. The brightest fucking glowing _gold_ I've ever seen, and it had like... All these fucking wings, studded with eyes. And these bird heads, on really long necks, and I swear to god, one of those was longer than I'm tall! It was fucking _gigantic_!

Somebody fired on it, like an idiot. The bullet didn't even seem to phase it, although I don't know if it even hit the monster or _what_. It just _moved_ , snapped the closest person up like- Just like that! Poor guy didn't even have time to fucking scream. And the freakiest thing is! His armour just fucking fell through the bottom of its jaw! There was nothing left of _him_ , but it'd left his fucking armour behind, like it selectively _vaporized_ him or something-

No, I'm telling the truth! I'm not bullshitting a single thing! That monster killed and ate most of the team, and the rest- I don't even wanna remember what it did to the rest, they like- No, I don't want to talk about it, it was- It was the stuff of _nightmares_ , sir.

No- I- _Fine_ , just put that away! ...Their bodies just... Warped. Rippled and... _Changed_ , one of them got ripped apart by his own _ribs_ and- What!? No, I'm telling the truth! You can't send anybody else there, it's a _death sentence_! What would I gain from lying to- The AI!? No, _no_ , Felix, I swear, I don't want any fucking AI, I want to get off this fucking planet, we all should pack up and _leave_ -


	2. Chapter 2

"So," Felix drawled, flicking the blood off his knife. "Do we believe his story?"

"That was unnecessary. Especially since..." Locus gave an exasperated sigh, giving Felix an annoyed and slightly disgusted look as he tried to wipe off what blood had been splattered onto his armour. "I do not believe he killed his team, or took advantage of his team's deaths. I'm not sure if I believe the 'eldritch horror' story, but..." A scowl. "We could've gotten more out of him if you weren't so eager to kill."

"And what, let him spread that fear to the rest of this riffraff? As if. Their loyalty is tenuous as is, might I remind you!"

Locus huffed. "My point still stands. There is _something_ out there, and it killed his entire team. It would have been nice to have a first hand source on this possible new threat... May I remind you we're already having problems as is?"

A grumble, and Felix mimed Locus' talking with his hand before responding, "Yeah, so we leave it alone! He told us to, and there's nothing we lose from it! We just tell Command the mission was a bust and that nothing was found. We'll be fine."

Locus turned away, frowning, pausing there for a moment only to turn it over in his mind. He looked back at Felix. "...I hope you're correct, Felix. Because if we're unprepared and that thing decides to leave that facility..." And with that, Locus turned back towards the door and left, leaving the implication hanging there in the air.

Felix snorted softly, waving his hand as if to dispel the notion entirely. "You're worrying too much, you big _baby_ ," he half-teased as he followed behind his partner. He left the body where it was; there would be cleaning crews to clear it up later. No need to get his hands dirtier than they already were.

So, nobody was in the room to notice the flash of gold leave the dead man's armour, and disappear into the nearest camera.

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you know, none of this series is connected verse-wise. Unless specified.


End file.
